Motor vehicle having reduced engine movement caused by collision

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes an engine assembly housed in a bay, a subframe adjacent a bottom of the bay, a bulkhead adjacent a rear of the bay, and a catch structure extending laterally across the bay above the subframe and adjacent an upper end of the bulkhead. A lower catch hook is coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the subframe and transfer load from the engine assembly to the subframe when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during a collision. An upper catch hook is coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the catch structure and transfer load from the engine assembly to the catch structure when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during the collision. The catch structure may be a cable connected to left and right suspension towers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor vehicle comprising:
 an engine assembly housed in a bay; 
 a subframe adjacent a bottom of the bay; 
 a bulkhead adjacent a rear of the bay; 
 a catch structure extending laterally across the bay above the subframe and adjacent an upper end of the bulkhead; 
 a lower catch hook coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the subframe and transfer load from the engine assembly to the subframe when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during a collision; and 
 an upper catch hook coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the catch structure and transfer load from the engine assembly to the catch structure when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during the collision. 
 
     
     
       2. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the catch structure is configured to deform during the collision from a first state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure limits movement of the engine assembly relative to the bulkhead, to a second state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure is reduced in comparison to the first state. 
     
     
       3. The motor vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the catch structure is configured to deform from the first state to the second state before the engine assembly contacts the bulkhead. 
     
     
       4. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising left and right suspension towers, and wherein the catch structure is coupled to the suspension towers to transfer load thereto. 
     
     
       5. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure of the vehicle to which the catch structure is coupled, and wherein the catch structure is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the catch structure by the upper catch hook. 
     
     
       6. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure of the vehicle to which the subframe is coupled, and wherein the subframe is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the subframe by the lower catch hook. 
     
     
       7. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure of the vehicle to which the catch structure and the subframe are coupled, and wherein:
 the catch structure is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the catch structure by the upper catch hook; 
 the subframe is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the subframe by the lower catch hook; and 
 the catch structure is configured to decouple from the support structure at a level of engine displacement substantially equal to that at which the subframe decouples from the support structure. 
 
     
     
       8. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the catch structure comprises a cable opposite ends of which are coupled to a support structure of the vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The motor vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the catch structure is arranged to be engaged by the lower catch hook prior to the engine assembly contacting the bulkhead. 
     
     
       10. A motor vehicle comprising:
 an engine assembly in a bay; 
 a subframe adjacent a bottom of the bay; 
 a catch structure extending laterally across the bay above the subframe; 
 a lower hook coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage and transfer loads to the subframe during a collision; and 
 an upper hook coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage and transfer loads to the catch structure during the collision. 
 
     
     
       11. The motor vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the catch structure is configured to deform during the collision from a first state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure limits movement of the engine assembly within the bay, to a second state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure is reduced in comparison to the first state. 
     
     
       12. The motor vehicle of  claim 11 , further comprising a bulkhead adjacent a rear of the bay, and wherein the catch structure is configured to deform from the first state to the second state before the engine assembly contacts the bulkhead. 
     
     
       13. The motor vehicle of  claim 10 , further comprising left and right suspension towers, and wherein the catch structure is coupled to the suspension towers to transfer load thereto. 
     
     
       14. The motor vehicle of  claim 10 , further comprising a support structure of the vehicle to which the catch structure is coupled, and wherein the catch structure is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the catch structure by the upper catch hook. 
     
     
       15. The motor vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the catch structure comprises a cable opposite ends of which are coupled to a support structure of the vehicle. 
     
     
       16. A motor vehicle comprising:
 an engine assembly in a bay; 
 a subframe; 
 a catch structure extending across the bay above the subframe; 
 a lower hook extending from the engine assembly to engage and transfer loads to the subframe during a collision; and 
 an upper hook extending from the engine assembly to engage and transfer loads to the catch structure during the collision. 
 
     
     
       17. The motor vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the catch structure is configured to deform during the collision from a first state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure limits movement of the engine assembly within the bay, to a second state wherein the transfer of load from the engine assembly to the catch structure is reduced in comparison to the first state. 
     
     
       18. The motor vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising a bulkhead adjacent a rear of the bay, wherein the catch structure is configured to deform from the first state to the second state before the engine assembly contacts the bulkhead. 
     
     
       19. The motor vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising left and right suspension towers, and wherein the catch structure is coupled to the suspension towers to transfer load thereto. 
     
     
       20. The motor vehicle of  claim 16 , further comprising a support structure of the vehicle to which the catch structure is coupled, and wherein the catch structure is configured to decouple from the support structure during the collision as a result of the load transferred to the catch structure by the upper catch hook.